Cycle of youth development to continue with Atalanta summer exodus

Date: 27th May 2017 at 9:12am
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Atalanta are a club well accustomed to selling their best players and replacing them with youth. This summer, the club could face a mass exodus more extreme than ever before

When Roberto Gagliardini left Atalanta for Inter in early January some feared that the move represented the beginning of the end of what had been shaping up to be an impressive season.

Within 48 hours of Gagliardini’s departure it was announced that star defender Mattia Caldara had signed a contract to join Juventus, though he would remain in Bergamo until the end of the 2017-18 season.

Historically a selling club and a hotbed for producing young Italian talent, La Dea were in with a chance of securing European qualification, so the frustration at losing one of their most exciting academy graduates in his maiden season in the first team could be easily understood.

Those fears did not last, however. Atalanta have since built on their early season form to secure European football for next season and enjoy – comfortably – their best ever term in Serie A.

When the curtain finally falls on this record-breaking campaign, those fears will again surface, but tenfold.

By sealing a place in the group stages of the Europa League, Atalanta have somewhat announced themselves – and their players – to the watching world. With the increased attention will come a high level of interest. Offers will come; players will go.

Franck Kessie will leave; Leonardo Spinazzola will probably follow. After that, Andrea Conti and Alejandro Gomez will and have been the subjects of bids. That’s just the beginning.

Interest in the all-action Ivorian is nothing new. Since January he has been linked with all of the usual names from Chelsea to Manchester United to Roma. It was thought that the Bergamaschi would hold out for €40 million – which they would probably get – but the latest information suggests a fee of €28m has been agreed with AC Milan. During the negotiations for Kessie it is reported that the Milanese giants also enquired about Conti’s availability.

Spinazzola has been key on the left, patrolling and covering the length of the field in its entirety every game, much in the same way that Conti has done on the right. The former is on loan from Juventus, and should La Vecchia Signora not recall him to provide Alex Sandro with some competition, the Italy international won’t be short of offers.

Conti, like Kessie, is another who has been linked with joining Antonio Conte at Chelsea. When Napoli approached the wing-back last summer he opted to stay put for the time being. Having learned from Alberto Grassi’s mistake, his agent then announced that he would remain in Bergamo for another year to continue his development. That year has now passed; Conti has developed into an excellent player and is wanted by Borussia Dormund, Inter and Milan.

Kessie has also developed, Spinazzola as well and even Andrea Petagna too. All will undoubtedly have plenty of suitors and Atalanta, despite achieving what seemed impossible this season, will have to start from scratch.

Even those who aren’t so young will become subjects of speculation. Alejandro Gomez – one of Serie A’s standout performers this year – has been rewarded by an Argentina call-up. AC Milan are apparently interested, as are Roma. Although Papu has stated his commitment to La Dea, it would surely be hard for him to reject what could be his final chance to get a big move to either a club playing in the Champions League, or one with serious aspirations of getting there.

Despite the mass exodus, it’s hard to be too worried for the Bergamaschi. Atalanta will recover – they always recover. A player – or several – moves on and the production line at Zingonia throws them immediate replacements who just need their edges smoothed.

The midfield evolution of recent seasons encapsulates that best. Daniele Baselli came through and impressed and moved to Torino. Alberto Grassi took his place; Napoli came calling. Roberto Gagliardini was next before Inter took him to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Kessie is there now, but not for long. Eighteen-year-old Filippo Melegoni was handed his debut by Gasperini this season and will likely feature more often in 2017-18.

Melegoni will play not only because he will have improved, but because of necessity. The cycle will continue.

At the back, Alessandro Bastoni – who has progressed through the academy since childhood alongside Melegoni – will become a first-team player. Should Rafael Toloi – linked with Inter – or another leave, he could be thrown into the deep end as an important and regular starter.

European football might be enough to keep some of those in-demand players until January at least. If they can keep the core of this squad together and maybe add some depth there is no reason to suggest that they can’t surprise a few of Europe’s bigger names. After all, this is a team that did the double over Napoli, drew with Juventus and beat Roma and Inter this year. However, an exit on a large scale is probable.

To expect similar success from Atalanta next season would be foolish. That said, a suggestion last summer that they would finish fifth would have been laughed at too. What lies ahead for Atalanta is a summer of uncertainty but, after that, who knows what the Zingonia production line will serve up.

 

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